Gene Bennett Classic to run June 9-11

Gene Bennett greets an Ohio Warhawks player during the Gene Bennett Baseball Classic festivities back in 2014.

From Friday, June 9 to Sunday, June 11, baseball fans from Southern Ohio and the Tri-State Area will have an opportunity to watch nine of the country’s best travel ball units when the Eighth Annual Gene Bennett Baseball Classic takes place at Branch Rickey Park, Portsmouth High School, and Wheelersburg High School over the weekend.

The classic, which holds the semifinal contests and championship affair of the tournament at Branch Rickey Park as per tradition, is named after Bennett, who served in various roles with the Cincinnati Reds’ organization from 1952 to 2010.

Bennett, who made his name as one of the premier scouting talents in all of professional baseball, was responsible for the drafting of Barry Larkin, Paul O’Neill, Chris Sabo, and South Shore (Ky.) native Don Gullett during his time with the organization. Bennett earned inductions into the Ohio High School Athletic Association, Major League Baseball Scouts and the Wheelersburg High School Athletics Hall of Fames in 1993, 1996 and 2001, respectively, won a Legends of Scouting Award for his six loyal decades of work with the Reds in January of 2009, and was named as the Major League Baseball Scout of the Month 14 times over the course of his career.

Play, which will feature the Midland Redskins, the Ohio Warhawks, and the Huntington Hounds, among others, will commence at 9 a.m. on Friday and will run through Sunday afternoon. The top four teams in pool play will obtain the chance to play in the semifinals at 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. on Sunday, with the winners playing each other at 3 p.m. the same day.

Eighth Annual Gene Bennett Baseball Classic Schedule

Friday, June 9 —Pool Play

Branch Rickey Park

9 a.m. Huntington (W. Va.) Hounds vs. Ashland (Ky.) Post 76

11:45 a.m. Kentucky Colonels vs. Dayton Classics

2:30 p.m. Midland Redskins vs. Ohio Longhorns

5:15 p.m. Ohio Warhawks vs. Midland Redskins

Portsmouth High School

9 a.m. Midland Redhawks vs. Kentucky Colonels

11:45 a.m. Ohio Longhorns vs. Ohio Warhawks

2:30 p.m. Dayton Classics vs. Midland Redhawks

5:15 p.m. Ashland (Ky.) Post 76 vs. Ohio Yankees

Wheelersburg High School

2:30 p.m. Ohio Yankees vs. Huntington (W. Va.) Hounds

Saturday, June 10 — Pool Play

Branch Rickey Park

9 a.m. Ohio Yankees vs. Midland Redskins

11:45 a.m. Ohio Longhorns vs. Midland Redhawks

2:30 p.m. Kentucky Colonels vs. Ohio Warhawks

5:15 p.m. Midland Redhawks vs. Ashland (Ky.) Post 76

Portsmouth High School

9 a.m. Ohio Warhawks vs. Huntington (W. Va) Hounds

11:45 a.m. Huntington (W. Va.) Hounds vs. Kentucky Colonels

2:30 p.m. Ashland (Ky.) Post 76 vs. Ohio Longhorns

5:15 p.m. Midland Redskins vs. Dayton Classics

Wheelersburg High School

2:30 p.m. Dayton Classics vs. Ohio Yankees

Sunday, June 11 — Tournament Play

Portsmouth High School

9 a.m. No. 7 pool play seed vs. No. 6 pool play seed

Noon Winner of No. 6/No. 7 pool play seed vs. No. 5 pool play seed

Wheelersburg High School

9 a.m. No 9 pool play seed vs. No. 8 pool play seed

Championship Tournament

Branch Rickey Park

9 a.m. No. 3 seed vs. No. 2 seed

Noon No. 4 seed vs. No. 1 seed

3 p.m. Championship Game

Gene Bennett greets an Ohio Warhawks player during the Gene Bennett Baseball Classic festivities back in 2014.

http://portsmouth-dailytimes.aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/28/2017/06/web1_Gene-Bennett.jpgGene Bennett greets an Ohio Warhawks player during the Gene Bennett Baseball Classic festivities back in 2014.